The Homeless, The Hurting - Ways to Understand and Help

     HAVE YOU ever slept under a bridge? Do you know what it feels like to sleep on cardboard? Have you gone hungry for more than 24-hrs before? In America today it's said that there is over 1,750,000 homeless people, and 31,000,000 Americans who live, "in hunger or on the edge of hunger". www.statisticbrain.com/homelessness-stats/

MY ENCOUNTER:

     RECENTLY my cousin Jessica Smith and I were downtown playing tennis. We were about to finish up our game when we noticed a lady walking beside the courts and into the woods nearby. Because we figured there weren't any "nature walks" in that section of the park, we wondered who the person was and what they were doing. Like anyone, we were quite curious. A few serves later, the lady returns and walks back by the tennis courts, this time in a complete change of clothes, and holding an empty water bottle. She filled up her water bottle and returned to her quiet hideaway. Needless to say, we finished our game, and I went to investigate while Jessica cleaned up our tennis balls. After crawling through what appeared to be a simple deer trail, I rounded a corner and saw what I expected to see - a cardboard flat, shower curtain for a tent, and plastic bins with a few meager personal belongings. I left, gripped by what I had seen and disturbed by the answers to life that evaded me.

     JESSICA AND I returned to the tennis court about a half hour later, both putting together what few snacks and extra things we had, zipped up in an old carrying bag. After intentionally being quiet in order to purposefully surprise her so she wouldn't be all defensive and "beggy" we exchanged greetings with her. Her name was Sara*. Two weeks ago she lost her waitressing job. Soon after her boyfriend kicked her out because she couldn't pay her half of the rent. We had never heard an "actual homeless person's story" of how they became homeless. We didn't know what to say or how to respond. But we did know we could pray. We prayed, "Dear God, help this lady Sara* to find a job, and find you, the One who can bring hope and healing back to her hurting heart. Lord, thank you for how you have loved us and reached out to us in ways that we needed it. Thank you that you love us so much that you, "sent not your son into the world to bring condemnation but healing." Restore your friendship with her and keep us all close to you. Lord, find her a good job. In Jesus name, Amen." After the prayer, I asked her if she needed anything else; her reply was, "well it's cold at night." A sleeping bag would be nice." Thankfully, I had one in my car and gave it to her. Eventually, after exchanging goodbyes we left wondering how we could help and pray. We knew sharing her location
wasn't an option since the local authorities would probably then come and move her to a different
location.

     THIS "encounter" helped me realize once again how broken and in need we all are... Many out their are broken and in need of assistance. A help up can sometimes look like the weirdest things but are necessary.

Note: If  you have anything you'd like to donate to Sara let Jessica or myself know and we'd be glad to take it to her. Jessica will continue to check up on her throughout the summer.

(*her actual name has been changed to Sara to protect her identity)

A QUESTION ASKED

     I'VE BEEN asking myself the question from that "encounter" on... How do I effectively reach the homeless I do come in contact with? Here's an excerpt from the book I'm reading entitled, "Under the Overpass" by Mike Yankoski. It is related to my recent post entitled, "Preach, Serve, Repeat", and may shed some light on this subject.

"Every night about 150 ragged and torn men and women would pile into the chapel to listen to the mandatory service (at the rescue mission). The rule there, was you go to chapel before you get dinner. Everyone was dirty, hungry, desperate and broken. Pretty much everyone on the platform was not. Few would offer amens, many slept, and most just waited it out. After a full hour the air in the room was rank, especially if it had been raining as it often did on summer evenings. Typically, a group from a local church with a heart for inner city outreach would come down to lead the service. Most groups would stand in front, obviously nervous, to sing four or five worship songs. The speaker would then deliver the message. THE THEME rarely varied and always began with bad news. For example, a speaker might begin with Romans 6:23 - "the wages of sin is death" and continue with vivid descriptions of suffering in hell. I couldn't help but wondering why speakers focused on the, "hell, fire, and damnation" theme and so little on hope, you, love, peace, or really anything positive."

 Did speakers assume that to be homeless or addicted means that you are definitely on the road to hell and the only way to reach these people is through scare tactics? THINK about it: If you see someone dangling precariously off a cliff would you warn him about the danger of falling to his death? Or would you instead throw him a rope. There's a big difference. For some the rope of safety will come through a warm meal, while for others it might be a sermon, or a letter of admonishment. OUR GOOD INTENTIONS AND SOUND THEOLOGY are WASTED if those we minister to don't feel that we care about their immediate concerns! JESUS offered thundering warnings of suffering and condemnation to those who were healthy and didn't recognize their own neediness. TO the weak, and sin-bound he had ANOTHER message: "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened." (Matt. 11:28) The author continued by saying, "SADLY twenty out of the twenty six chapel services that I was in focused on hell, condemnation, sin, and eternal suffering. All are important... but are they the most appropriate to focus on with such a physically needy group?"

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/136212023

MY RESPONSE: 

     WE NEED to have the kind of attitude that Jesus would have! We need to be ready to offer help, love, healing, and grace as well as be just as ready to offer a sermon on hell if it's appropriate. We need to offer both love and mercy to those rejected and outcast, and eventually help them come to a whole message that Christ offers - one that spills forth selfless living and a grace enabled life.
.

    AS AMERICANS we are inclined to want to be different, to do it the way no one on planet earth has done it before. Many Americans are all about the big "I". Might I suggest to you that we need to start thinking about others for a change instead of our own happy pursuits... We need to begin thinking biblically. What about this decision, this thought, this money, etc. - how can it be done/used for the upbuilding of God's Kingdom here on earth?  My "encounter" was a wake up call to me to stop thinking about going on a short term missions trip every few years - although that may still come to pass - and instead be the hands and feet of Christ here in America where He has planted me to currently serve. This could mean, helping those I come in contact with by sharing what I have and what I know - the Gospel) I know for me it's a huge tendency to think about the poverty stricken children/families in third world countries in other parts of the world. But what about our own country with all ITS problems?  My Suggestion: First: Live. Second: share/help. Third: give.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

•     Do treat them like you would want them to be treated! (i.e. DON'T always be looking the other way as if they are trash. They are people just like you and me with needs, desires, and feelings.)
• Do not give them money unless you know they'll use it for something good such as a haircut, new backpack, extra food. Keep in mind it takes time with a person to find their true need.
•  Do help them,  but in tangible ways. Like I mentioned above... some things like just having a hair cut will help them feel better than money ever will. The way we are externally can affect us deeply internally. Other ways may include, buy them dinner at Hardees, and sign them up at a local Rescue Mission.
• Do share the gospel in love! At the right time preach the message of God's forgiveness and restoring grace. It's not a time for a message on holiness or hell or the justice of God. How absurd! We as humans remember more critical statements than loving statements. The abused and rejected need even more of an abundance of love poured into their life if they will ever change.
• Finally, educate yourself. (i.e. read the book "Under the Overpass" by Mike Yankoski) Take a homeless person or needy person out to eat sometime. You may be shocked by what you discover. People can often open up more around the dinner table than anywhere else.

Any comments? Was this Helpful? How have you been able to help the homeless and hurting "see" Christ through the love you give and the gospel you preach?

A disclaimer - I'm still finishing the book; So hopefully I'll comment on this post later with better suggestions but based on my own experiences with homeless people here in Cincinnati - It's sound advice. Also, about the spelling errors - I didn't have spell check on the computer I was typing on.

(Last edited on 1/31/15 by AQ/JP)

Witnessing to Mormons

Have you ever had a Mormon question you about your faith? I know I have! Sometimes it can be rough knowing what to say, but it doesn't have to be that way. Here's a recent paper I submitted that describes, and refutes the Mormon cultist faith. Hopefully this is of help... 
Brief History of Mormonism

            The religion of Mormonism supposedly began many centuries ago when two great nations migrated to the Americas one of which was wicked and the other religious. According to their doctrine, Jesus Christ came over later after his resurrection to preach the gospel to these people. Four hundred years after Christ, a prophet Nephtite wrote down their history on gold plates and buried them, which Joseph Smith later discovered and translated with a seer stone. During this time he never showed them publicly. After they were translated they were transported to heaven by angels. Mormons claim that archaeology has proven the book of Mormon to be true. Yet, none of the 3,200 cities named in the book of Mormon. The Mormons, also known as the Latter Day Saints, claim that they are the restoration of true Christianity. They also believe in the divine prophetic word of prophets (such as LDS Presidents, etc) and a “burning in the bosom” feeling or experience.

Disproving the Mormon Doctrine of Salvation.

            Mormons believe that they are saved through faith and obedience to ordinances of the Mormon Church, and that one cannot have assurance of salvation. The belief is that according to Ephesians 2:8-9, we have been saved by grace not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For a college class I was asked to interview two Mormons. In that interview I noticed they believed that the assurance rested in their “burning in the bosom” and not on scripture. My argument was that a burning in the bosom, or as we call it, a feeling is a possible outflow of that assurance but is not the means to an end. One argument I used in that interview was a presentation of 1 John 5:13, that says, if a person believes in Jesus Christ they can know that they had eternal life without a doubt. I also made the case that you cannot just pull a Scripture, such as this one, out of context and forget about the rest of the Bible – I reminded them that if you want to get to heaven, you must first repent, and then walk in all the light God has given us living according to commandments and such. Most Mormons do not know that they have salvation until judgment.

Disproving the Mormon Doctrine of God.

            Mormons believe that “God himself was once as we are now and is an exalted man”. The foundational belief for this is a belief that God has a physical body. However, John 4:24, Luke 24:37-39, and Matthew 16:15-17 refute this by saying that God is a Spirit. They used to believe that Adam created both God and man, but they obviously have changed in doctrine since then which in turn proves their inconsistency. Along with their doctrine of God, they believe that human beings will exist eternally after physical death in one of the three places –heaven on earth, the heaven of the “heavens”, and hell. Part of this belief is that God evolved from mortal man. Lorenzo Snow, a Mormon leader, when speaking of John 3:16, stated, “As man now is, God once was. As God is now, man may become.” The Scripture verses I would use to refute this are the following: Psalm 90:2 – which says that God is everlasting and forever; Mal 3:6 – says that God doesn't change; Numbers 23:19 – says that God is not a man; In fact, even the book of Mormon in Mormon 9:10 refutes this idea.

            Not only do the Mormons believe that God evolved from man, and that as mortal man we can become like God, but they also believe in polytheism. Joseph Smith said, “In the beginning, the head of the gods called a council of the gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and the people in it.” (King Follet Discourse)[1] Scripture refutes this. Isaiah 44:6 says that the LORD is the first and the last and that there is no other God but him. Then in 44:8 He repeats Himself and says: “Is there anyone beside me? Surely no!” In Isaiah 45:18 and 22 He says yet again “I am the LORD who created the heaven and earth and there is none beside me”. Lastly, Isaiah 43:10 which contradicts the belief in polytheism, says, ”I am the only God, before me there was no other and after me there will be no other.” Therefore, it is clear that their key statement that they often use to support their belief in polytheism can be easily disproven with these scriptures.

Other Ways to Disprove Mormonism

            One argument that can be used in disproving Mormonism, is to disprove the extermination of the Nephites. The footnotes in the Book of Mormon suggest that the extermination of the Nephites happened between A.D. 400 and 421. Yet it left no archeological evidence. In contrast, there was a much smaller battle that took place centuries earlier in 1^st century A.D. in Palestine that shows what we would expect to find if this battle from the book of Mormon had really occurred. Josephus, a historian, describes a rock in the desert named Masada, where 900 people were besieged by the Romans, all of whom eventually died. Archaeologists identified and excavated it in the 1960’s. What they found was very clear evidence such as coins and houses, proving that these events actually took place there. No civilization can be wiped out in such a way that (even some of) a remnant is no longer left. In Ether 15 in the Book of Mormon, a huge war is described during which millions are massacred. Where is the evidence of this catastrophe? We know that the Hill, Komora was where the last major events in the book of Mormon took place. In Mormon 8:2 we read, “And now it came to pass that after the great and tremendous battle at Cumorah, behold, the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward were hunted by the Lamanites, until they were all destroyed. It goes on and makes an account of about how many died. William Wilson an LDS Anthropologist from Northern Arizona University, stated that, “Each time a new massacre would happen, the book of Mormon records that tens of thousands died. When you add them all up it’s over 250,000 that were left dead”[2]. Yet, when Wilson did excavations in Palmyra, NY he found nothing. If even 50,000 died, archaeologists assumed that they would have found remains of bones in mass burial sites, metal from spears, chariots, etc. In Jerusalem anytime another object is found they begin excavating that site to find more evidence. So why does the Mormon Church not do this in the hill Cumorah in Palmyra, NY.

            There was a man named Thomas Ferguson who endeavored to prove that the book of Mormon was true by going to South America and finding archaeological evidence proving its validity. At that time he was a devout Mormon. “He worked at the anthropology department at Brigham Young University.”[3] “After spending millions of dollars in excavations and research he couldn’t find anything.”[4] He went in a hopeful Mormon, but eventually left the faith and is now excommunicated from the church.

My Humble Conclusion

            Joseph Smith said, “I told the brethren that the book of Mormon was the most correct of any on earth, and the keystone of our religion and that man would get nearer to God by abiding in its precepts than by any other book.”[5] My conclusion is, if the book of Mormon is the most correct book on earth, then we have many other books full of lies. If the people that it talks about did not exist historically, and there is no other evidence of any of the events, then, as the evidence proves, there was no visit of Jesus Christ to the Americas. Therefore, “it then couldn’t be another testament of Jesus Christ”.[6]

            Gordon B. Hickley the late LDS Prophet and President said,

            “As a church we have critics many of them. They say we do not believe in the traditional            Christ of Christianity. There is some substance to what they say. Our faith, our     knowledge, is not based on ancient tradition… Our faith, our knowledge comes of the         witness of a prophet in this dispensation…” (April 2002 General Conference)[7]

            This man is basically saying that he does not believe in the Christian Christ, but in the Christ that Joseph Smith taught. I would recommend that you at least quote this to your Mormon friend, and if he or she gets mad then you say, “This is what your prophet said”. How can they argue against their own prophet? Furthermore, William Wilson a former LDS member and follower, who is now an anthropologist at the Northern Arizona University stated (after reviewing much evidence), “Mormons do not believe in the same Christ”.[8]  Also, Galatians 1:9-12 says,

            As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than           that ye have received, let him be accursed. Or do I now persuade men, or God? For do I     seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I             certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I       neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

             I thank God that we have the TRUE story, the one that isn’t flawed. We believe in something that brings and will bring true hope. We need to open our doors to Mormons when they come knocking and expose this cult for what it truly is. This book has been disproven by secular and religious scholars alike. From the historical, archaeological  factual, and biblical evidence, I and many other scholars would agree that the Book of Mormon is only 19^th Century Religious fiction. Wouldn’t you agree?

Suggestions when Witnessing to a Mormon

            In closing I would like to give some brief pointers in sharing one’s faith with Mormons, along with the arguments and scriptures that have already shared. When you plan to meet, find a quiet place such as the corner of a coffee shop to meet – it is more conducive to deeper thinking. Also, understand that they will be meeting with you in a suit and tie so dressing in a dressy or casual manner would be appropriate - I wouldn’t recommend jeans and a tee shirt. The last time I offered some Mormons a drink, forgetting that there are some drinks they would not drink, such as those that contain caffeine – so you could instead offer water. Also, when you interact, always remember that you may be arguing for your faith (or theirs), you may be disagreeing with them, you may even get a little red in the face at some of the outlandish things they say – but never forget to love them like Christ! They are people just like you who are in search of truth, whether they outwardly say or show that or not.

            Furthermore, according to Maxwell, it’s a good thing to, “avoid telling Mormons what they believe”. Instead, ask them what their position is on a certain issue. Second, always define your terms. Maxwell said you need to understand that, “Mormonism has accepted Christian terminology while substituting its truth for private definitions”.[9] This is huge! So make sure you know what you’re agreeing to before you agree that both Christianity and Mormonism agree (or differ) theologically on a subject. Know their terms and your own. Finally, use some of the information provided in this essay to refute or bring into question their beliefs.

            In closing, I wish the best to you in your endeavors with Mormons! Keep trying, the truth always prevails in the end.

Works Cited

Discourses, the power of the Holy Ghost."  Journal of, and vol. 3 p. 3 (1856). "False Prophecies/Quotes." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. .

Faith, their "Articles of, " their "Creeds,  ", and  their. "Orson Pratt, "Authenticity of the Book of Mormon"." BOAP: The Book of Abraham Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. .

"Joseph Smith's King Follet Sermon." Utah Lighthouse Ministry. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2013.

Stanley, Charles. "NO Historical Evidence to Support the Book of Mormon." Introduction to Jesus Christ. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. .

"The Book of Mormon vs The Bible, Part 3 of an indepth study of Latter Day Saints Archeology - YouTube." YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. .

Volume, and Issue ». "Questions to Ask Your Mormon Friend: Effective Ways to Challenge a Mormon's Arguments without Being Offensive - LeIsle Jacobson - FARMS Review - Volume 7 - Issue 1." Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. .

            MLA formatting by BibMe.org.

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[1]  Joseph Smith, n.d. (utlm.org)

[2] The Book of Mormon vs. the Bible, n.d. (youtube.com)

[3] C. Stanley, n.d. (evangelical.us)

[4] The Book of Mormon vs. the Bible, n.d. (youtube.com)

[5] Discourses, 1856 (inplainsite.org)

[6] The Book of Mormon vs. the Bible, n.d. (youtube.com)

[7] Discourses, 1856 (inplainsite.org)

[8] The Book of Mormon vs. the Bible, n.d. (youtube.com)

[9] LeIsle Jacobson, n.d. (Maxwellinstitute.byu.edu)

Witnessing..

What if we as Christians told about what Christ was doing in our life everywhere we went? How would that change us/our relationship with our Heavenly Father? Interesting thought to ponder!
Here's some a great resource!
www.livingwaters.com/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=8&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=199&lang=en